The Cost Of Sacrifice
by Half-BPrincess
Summary: When the Goblet of Fire spits out Harry's name, he chooses to forfeit by making a sacrifice to the Goblet that will change the course of the rest of his life. Independent!Harry Powerful!Harry Manipulative!Dumbledore
1. Chapter 1

The fire in the Goblet had just turned red, again. Sparks of varying colours flew out of it, causing several of those officials closest to jump and stumble backwards. A long flame shot suddenly into the air, and, borne upon it, another piece of parchment.

Automatically, it seemed, Dumbledore reached out a long hand and seized the parchment. He held it out and stared at the name written upon it. There was a long pause, during which Dumbledore stared at the slip in his hands, and everyone in the room stared at Dumbledore. And then Dumbledore cleared his throat, and read out -

"Harry Potter."

Chaos reined across the hall almost before the last syllable of Harry's name had passed Dumbledore's lips. Voices all seemed to shout together-

"It's not fair!" Harry heard a boy in Hufflepuff scream.

"It's always him!" From a Ravenclaw girl. The worst, however, was Ron.

"I can't believe you!" The redhead hissed, for once not raising his voice. "You could have told me how you put your name in." He shook his fringe from his eyes, and shot a glare of pure hatred at Harry. "Call yourself a friend, well you're no friend of mine!"

Harry started forwards at the words, mouth falling open leaving him only stuttering lone syllables.

"I… I…" Harry stammered, at a loss for words. He turned to Hermione, eyes pleading, but saw a look of anger on her face. "Herm-?"

"Ronald Weasley!" Hermione interrupted, leaning across Harry to speak to the boy in question. "Can you not tell that Harry didn't put his name in? Harry would never do something so dangerous without thinking! Just look at his face, it's obvious he doesn't want to participate."

"Harry Potter!" Dumbledore called again. "Please come to join the other champions!"

A small hand on Harry's back pushed him up and out of his seat, he turned to see Hermione looking back at him with a sad smile on her face.

"Go, Harry," she admonished quietly. Ron still refused to look Harry in the eye, and was now avoiding looking at Hermione too.

Harry took a few steps forward, towards the Goblet and Dumbledore and the Head Table, and then he stopped.

"No." Harry shook his head. "I'm not doing this."

"Harry, my boy, just come to the Champions room and we will get this all sorted out." Dumbledore stepped forwards, beckoning to Harry, but the boy shook his head once more.

"No. We'll sort it out here." Harry's voice was louder now, or perhaps the room was just quieter as more and more students focused on the confrontation between Harry and the Headmaster. "Fix it." Harry pleaded. "I don't want to do this."

"Harry, I am afraid that there is nothing to be done, in this instance." Dumbledore bowed his head, frowning sadly. "You cannot not take part, there is a contract."

"How the hell is there a contract?" Harry exploded outwards, head snapping up, arms reaching wide. A Hufflepuff first year, when writing a letter to her parents that evening, even claimed that he had gained a half-foot in height! "I didn't sign anything, I didn't put my name in that thing so there is no way in hell that it can have a contract with me!"

"I am afraid, Harry, that-"

"There is one way," a dark haired Professor stepped forwards. "I studied the Goblet in my youth. If Mr Potter takes hold of the Goblet, and announces that he does not wish to compete, it will give him the option of

making a sacrifice to retire from the tournament."

"Professor Vector, I thank you for your help, but Harry cannot risk the sacrifice."

"I believe, headmaster, that that is Mr Potter's choice to make." Vector responded coolly, turning her eyes to the student in question. "Remember that you can always choose to reject the sacrifice and continue on in the tournament if the cost is too high."

"What would I have to sacrifice?" Harry narrowed his eyes, his left thumb lightly rubbing at his chin.

"Nobody knows, it asks something different from each person. Some were asked to forfeit their magic, one man could never grow his hair below his shoulders. Many champions refused to speak of their loss, and some still refused the bargain, leaving them unable to speak of their choice "

Harry nodded his thanks at the Professor, then turned and dodged the ageing Headmaster to take hold of the Goblet.

"I DO NOT WISH TO COMPETE IN THE TRIWIZARD TOURNAMENT!" Harry shouted. The last things he saw before the flames rose up and consumed him were the betrayed blue eyes of Albus Dumbledore.

- HBP - HBP - HBP - HBP - HBP -

The rest of the room watched on in silence as Harry's face twisted from one expression to another. The fire had abated somewhat, although that hadn't stopped several feminine squeals from sounding out across the hall when it first erupted.

Hermione Granger held her breath as she watched her best friend grapple with yet another life-changing decision.

Ronald Weasley watched with eyes narrowed, hoping that his former friend would pay a heavy forfeit.

Albus Dumbledore looked on at his saviour in horror; the goblet could demand something that would greatly decrease the chances of Harry achieving success over Lord Voldemort.

Luna Lovegood closed her eyes, praying desperately that a boy she had yet to meet would make a wise decision.

Even as the flames receded, every person present watching the spectacle could clearly see the tears that ran in shining tracks across his cheeks, dripping from his chin. They all watched Harry's lips moving through the flames, opening, closing, then opening again. His eyes closed tightly shut, and a trembling hand reached up to his forehead.

"I accept." He whispered softly, almost apologetically, and again, louder, fists clenched and eyes flashing. "I accept. I accept god damn you!"

Dumbledore flinched and gasped as the slip of paper in his hand burst into flames at the same time as the fire that had surrounded Harry, the goblet's fire dropped to nothing.

With the release of the flames, Harry collapsed, sobs wracking his body. The photograph that Colin Creevey took would be splashed across the front page of The Prophet, with a headline in garish, bold font reading, simply; "Boy-Who-Lived, Broken?".


	2. Chapter 2

It was Hermione who got to him first, although Harry wasn't quite sure he understood the mechanics of how she had gotten from the very back of the Great Hall, across two tables, four benches and a Hufflepuff firstie before even Dumbledore had moved. Wrapped in her arms, he wasn't sure he cared.

"It's okay, Harry, it'll all be okay." She soothed him. He felt her right hand rise from his back, twitching in what was obviously a wand motion. "We're in a silencing bubble, Harry, they can't get to us for a little while, so you just get yourself together. It's all going to be okay, I promise."

"But it's not, Hermione!" Harry shuddered, and looked up at her, tears still streaking down his face. "You don't know what it asked for... You can't know..."

"You're right, Harry, I don't know what it asked for, but I do know that you're strong, and you'll get through whatever it is. And I know that you're my best friend, and I know that I'll do whatever I have to to help you, okay?"

"It... it showed me, you know? What I was giving up? It showed me _everything_, but I still gave it up. And it's- it was- it _could have been _the best thing in my life, Hermione! Oh Merlin, what have I done?"

"Harry, we've got less than a minute left on my silencing bubble, so I'll make this fast. There's no point crying over spilt milk, so calm down. What's done is done, if there's someone else involved in this – whatever you've agreed to – then you should tell them. Most important of all, remember that you don't owe anyone else any answers, not even Dumbledore or any of the judges. Got it?"

Harry managed only a mildly shaky nod as Dumbledore's hand came down heavily on his shoulder.

"Harry, my dear boy, I think you should wait for me in my office, we can discuss the repercussions of your actions there." He said gravely, frowning down at Harry. From the corner of his eye, Harry could see Hermione just begin to puff up in disapproval, but he squeezed her arm tightly in warning.

"What's the password, sir?" Harry asked quietly, receiving a pleased smile in return for his apparent obedience.

"Jellied eel," Dumbledore patted his shoulder, before turning to enter the side chamber with the other judges.

"Harry, what on earth are you doing?" Hermione hissed, eyes wide. "He wanted you in this tournament, he didn't want you to even know about the way to get out of it, and now you're going to his office?"

"I asked him the password, didn't say I was going. If he thinks I'm turning up, well he's misunderstood me, hasn't he?" Harry smiled up at her cheekily, half-expecting a disapproving glare, but was startled when she pulled him into a tight hug.

"Good on you Harry. Now, come on, where are we going to hide?" Hermione smiled at him warmly, but Harry shook his head.

"I... I can't. You're right, I should tell the person that's involved." He took a deep breath. "Merlin, this is going to be _hard._" Hermione squeezed him tighter.

"If you want me to, I could come with you, maybe wait outside while you talked?" She pulled away, just far enough to see Harry's soft smile as he pulled her back in.

"I don't know what I'd do without you." He whispered into her hair. "Can you bring Ginny to the place you, me and Ron had our first midnight adventure?" He felt, rather than heard her answer through the vibrations of her chest, tightly pressed against his, a hiccoughing gasp first and a stiffness so sharp he thought she might say no, but-

"Of course Harry." Now you head off as if you're going upstairs and I'll get her to you in about fifteen minutes. Do- do you want me to stay with you, while you talk, or...?"

"Stay." Harry whispered again. "Always stay."

- HBP – HBP – HBP – HBP – HBP -

It took a little less than fifteen minutes for Hermione to pull Ginny away from the crowd of Gryffindors all calling out questions as to what she and Harry had talked about at the front of the hall. Hermione even spotted the loudmouthed Hufflepuff Zacharius Smith in the group surrounding them.

"All Harry's said to me is that he accepted the sacrifice, Professor Dumbledore asked him to go to his office before we could say much more. Now, Ginny and I are going to the library to research the goblet of fire... I can't believe I hadn't heard of the option of a sacrifice before... You're all welcome to come, there're a lot of books we'll need to go through and-" Hermione inwardly smirked as the crowd instantly began to disperse. "Fat lot of good you lot are!" She rolled her eyes, taking hold of Ginny's arm and turning to leave the Great Hall. "Come on, Ginny, I know _you _won't let your friend down."

They reached the trophy room before Harry. Ginny idled over to the nearest plack and ran her fingers lightly over the burnished metal, leaning forward to ostensibly read the miniscule engravings.

"Funny how different the library looks today." She mused, throwing a wink at Hermione. "Is it-? are we-? Harry!"

Hermione turned to see her best friend amble into the room, lips twitching at the sight he made. His hands were safely ensconsced in his trouser pockets, his hair was even _more _of a mess than when he got up in the mornings (and she'd woken him more than once, so she'd know!) and his eyes were red-rimmed. More tears escaped him at the sight of Ginny.

"Oh, Gin!" He sobbed, one hand moving up to cover the lower half of his face. "I'm so sorry!" He seemed to curl into himself then, dropping to his knees, still crying. Both girls rushed to his side.

"It's okay, Harry, it's okay." Ginny hugged his head to her chest. "I promise you, we'll get through this together." Harry sobbed even harder at her words.

"But we _can't_, Ginny." His head snapped up, staring straight into her eyes. The hand that had covered his face reached out and softly stroked the side of her cheek, her red hair softly tugged. Ginny stayed still, not minding his hand probably covered in snot, and tears and boy-germs, because it's Harry. _Her _Harry, a small part of her mind adds – one day. "Ginny, I'm so, so, sorry. It – the goblet – it - it showed me – it showed me what would happen, in the future." He broke off, gasping for air between his sobs.

"It's okay, Harry, go on." Ginny hummed softly in his ear, feeling her throat catch even as she watched him try to calm himself. "What did the goblet show you?"

"It was – oh Merlin, it was _perfect_, Gin! You and me, I saw our wedding, and you were so beautiful, and our kids, all three of them – James and Albus Severus and Lily – and our house, our own little home in Hogsmeade." Harry took a deep breath, pressing a finger to Ginny's lips as she began to offer platitudes and promises for tomorrow, a smile curving her lips upwards. "And then it showed me what would happen if I stayed in the tournament. There was – there was Cedric, his body, he dies – would die – right in front of me, and then Wormtail was there, and he – he – he – he cut off his hand, his whole hand and he cut my arm open and then Voldemort was there, he was back, and he was alive again, he was back! And then, then it asked me to choose!"

"To choose what?" Ginny's face was white now, tears flowing freely down her face as her mind raced ahead. "No, no, no, Harry, please, no!"

"I-I- We – could be together, and all, all of that horrible horrible stuff would happen, or... or I could make it... not happen. But I had to give you up. I'm so sorry, Ginny, I'm so sorry! But, but I had to! We can't ever be together, and I'm so so sorry!"

Ginny's hands dropped from Harry's face, mouth spelling out silent words unsaid.

"We- Harry- _Harry_, we can- can still... It can't stop us, can it? It- it can't! I- Harry, oh Merlin, I love you, Harry. I _love _you. It can't take that away from us, it can't... I know, I know you don't love me yet, but that's okay. It- it just took away the love you've got now, but that- that doesn't mean that- that we can't- just- I won't leave you Harry, I can make you love me, can't I? I can make you love me. Please, let me love you?" She stood, as she spoke, hands dancing closer, and closer and closer still to Harry's upturned, tearstained face, but not touching him. At his slow headshake, she stepped back, away from him. Her arms folded in across her chest and stomach, almost as if she were trying to hold herself together. One shaky breath, another, and then, the plainative, "But why, Harry?"

"It- it didn't take my love for you, Gin. It changed it. I-I-I can't, not ever, feel anything for you, nothing romantic, but you'll always be family to me Gin. It couldn't get rid of my love for you, it just-just- changed it. I- Its- You- You're like a-a-a- sister to me now..." Harry shook as he said the words, eyes locked on Ginny's retreating form, the redhead now taking a step back at every fifth word.

"I-I- I don't know what to say to you right now. You could never- _never _be a brother to me. Harry James Potter, I love you! This, this isn't- fair! Merlin, I just- I need some space..." With that, Ginny turned and left the trophy room, still scrubbing at her face furiously with the sleeves of her robes.

Harry blearily watched her go, the finality of her exit sending him into another fit of tears. Hermione, who had been waiting a short distance away from them dropped to the floor next to him.

"Oh, Harry," she whispered, pulling his head onto her lap. "It'll be okay, I promise."

"Her-Herm-mione, do you think I did bad?" Harry choked out, turning to press his face into her stomach. Hermione let her hands gently rest on his head, teasing out the knots in his messy hair.

"No, Harry, I think you did good." Hermione told him softly. "I'm proud of you."

"Hermione?" Harry asked again, a short while later.

"Yes, Harry?"

"Please don't leave me!" He whispered with such ferocity that Hermione had to pull his head up to look him in the eyes as she answered.

"Harry, I could never leave you."


End file.
